Learning & Development Lead

Swooped; United States; Hybrid; USD 220,000 - 234,000; Full time

Job summary

Swooped is seeking a Learning & Development Lead to design, launch, and scale the company’s centralized corporate training function for a highly technical workforce. The role requires a builder mindset and deep understanding of how employees learn, with emphasis on AI-driven, contextual delivery to enable rapid scaling.

Initially acting as a hands-on individual contributor, you will create foundational programs, establish adaptive learning paths, and partner with AI champions to drive measurable

Qualifications

• 10+ years in instructional design, corporate learning, or people development.
• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Education, Business Administration, or related field.
• Experience applying AI solutions in dynamic learning workflows.
• Ability to link learning interventions to core business metrics, not just completion rates.

Responsibilities

• Build blueprint for centralized corporate training function to serve global workforce.
• Evaluate and implement AI-driven learning tools and knowledge systems.
• Architect core learning pillars with learning science to drive business goals.
• Develop programs: Safety, Compliance, EH&S, leadership, and engineering/ops training.
• Partner with client groups and executives to align objectives with metrics and regulatory requirements.
• Deliver materials initially as an IC; later expand to a small team.

Skills

Instructional design

Corporate learning

People development

AI in learning

Public speaking

Learning metrics

Adaptive learning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Psychology

Bachelor's degree in Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Tools

AI tools

LLM-driven systems

Job description

The company offers drone delivery as a safe, fast, and sustainable solution for last mile logistics. Consumer appetites for on-demand services are increasing, but current delivery methods are inefficient, costly, and contribute to road accidents and air pollution. The company's fleet of highly automated delivery drones can transport small packages directly from businesses to homes on-demand, in minutes. The organization designs, builds, and operates its aircraft, and offers drone delivery services on two continents.

The technology is designed to be easy to integrate into existing delivery and logistics networks, offering a scalable drone delivery solution for a broad range of businesses. The organization is part of Google's parent company, Alphabet, and its mission is to create the preferred means of delivery for the planet. If you're ready to do the greatest work of your life, come join the team.

About the Role

The company is looking for a Learning & Development Lead to join the People team. This role seeks someone with a builder mindset who has a deep understanding of how different employees learn and acquire skills and is passionate about creating the environment and systems that promote a learning-oriented culture. This role is hybrid based in Palo Alto, CA or based remotely in the United States.

The organization is looking for a forward-thinking, technologically savvy Learning & Development Lead to design, launch, and scale the company's centralized corporate training function. Initially acting as a high-impact individual contributor, this role will design the foundation for how the company's workforce learns, develops skills, and aligns with critical operational imperatives. This is not a traditional L&D role focused on licensing legacy Learning Management Systems (LMS) or rolling out static corporate modules. Instead, this role will champion a next-generation learning paradigm that leverages AI, LLM-driven knowledge engines, and contextual delivery mechanisms to provide adaptive learning solutions built for a highly technical and operational workforce that is rapidly evolving and scaling.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the blueprint, strategy, and system foundation for the organization's first centralized corporate training function to serve the global workforce
• Evaluate, select, and implement modern, AI-driven learning tools and knowledge systems. Think beyond static, archaic LMS tools; this is an opportunity to build or implement adaptive learning paths and real-time support mechanisms driven by automated content contextualization
• Act as the architect of core learning pillars, utilizing strong foundational learning science to ensure learning pathways drive specific, measurable business goals. Core initial programs will include:
• Safety, Compliance, and Environmental Health & Safety
• Build upon the organization's existing leadership frameworks that define how managers lead, mentor, and build high-performing teams
• Elevating engineering and operational skill sets through cutting-edge workflows. Partner with AI Champions across the organization to help cascade key AI training & development
• Partner closely with various client groups and executive leadership to align learning objectives with organizational metrics and dynamic regulatory requirements, including:
• Partnering with the Aviation Safety team on core learning modules that support the Safety Management System.
• Partnering with the Legal, Compliance and EH&S teams on critical compliance and EH&S training for employees and extended field teams
• Facilitate training sessions for Winglets (virtual and in-person), depending on the content
• Operate initially as an entrepreneurial individual contributor who designs and delivers materials directly. Over time, this role will strategically build out a small, scrappy team to expand impact

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of total experience in instructional design, corporate learning, or people development, with a proven track record of standing up programs in fast-growing technology companies or aviation/robotics/hardware industries
• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Education, Business Administration, or a related field
• Strong background in instructional design theories and learning psychology. Proven ability to design training modules that balance different learning archetypes (from desk-based software engineers to field-based employees)
• Active experience incorporating AI solutions into dynamic learning workflows
• Ability to link learning interventions to core business metrics (e.g., incident rate reduction, engineering speed, leadership retention) rather than vanity completion rates
• A passion for operating as an individual contributor in the early stages, writing content, organizing materials, and building courses, combined with the strategic maturity required to set up a new function within the people function
• Excellent public speaking & presentation skills

The US base salary range for this full-time position is the salary range below + bonus + equity + benefits. The organization's salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. A recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

Salary Range

$220,000—$234,000 USD

The organization is an equal opportunity employer and it is the organization's policy to comply with all applicable national, state and local laws pertaining to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. Employment at the organization is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. The organization does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law.